DANIEL AND THE LIONS DEN
                                   Daniel 6:1-28
 

INTRODUCTION
We find things much different for the Hebrew captive Daniel.  The Political structure has changed.  The Democrats are no longer in office, the Republicans have moved in so to speak.  Actually this is not a good analogy because in Babylon there is freedom only by decree of the King.  Daniel is older and more seasoned.  Although he has become aged he is still dedicated.  The kingdom of earth has been changed but not the faith of Daniel.  Many things change but not our God.  The
great God of heaven still rules over the affairs of man.  We study this chapter for the example it provides us in our faith.

I Cor. 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples and they are written for our
                       admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
 
                                              THE SETTING

The Medes and the Persians now control the former Babylonian Kingdom.  The sovereign is Darius not to be confused with Darius the Mede.

Dan.  5:31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

Daniel is still living as a captive in the land of Babylon.  The favor of God has been upon Daniel and he is still in a high position of authority.  The King of thee Medes and Persians appoint three kings to oversee 120 rulers of the kingdom.  Our hero Daniel is numbered among the ruling trio.

Dan. 6:3  Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because
                 an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
 
Daniel is popular and trusted by the king and in line for a big promotion.  The Chief Executive Officer, Darius thinks about placing Daniel as his number one ruling official.

Dan. 6:3  Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because
                 an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

Of course when you deal with the public there will always be enemies.  Daniel had a lot of office problems.  The general consensus among the junior executives was that Daniel was an obstacle to their power.  The only way the could find fault in Daniel was in his faith.

Dan.  6:4-5  Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel
                    as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault, forasmuch
                    as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.   Then said
                    these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it
                    against him concerning the law of his God.
 
 

There was no way to accuse Daniel of being an alcoholic, womanizer or mismanagement.  The solution that came up with was to attack Daniel's devotion to God.

Dan.  6:4-5  Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel
                     as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault, forasmuch
                    as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.   Then said
                    these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it
                    against him concerning the law of his God.

The enemies of Daniel flattered the king into making a law that every prayer must go through him first.  No petition or prayer was to be prayed to any God other than the king.  For thirty days anything asked or prayed for would be through the King.
 

Dan. 6:6-9  Then these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and
                   said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.  All the presidents of the kingdom,
                   the deputies and the satraps, the counsellors and the governors, have consulted
                   together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong interdict, that whosoever
                  shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be
                  cast into the den of lions.   Now, O king, establish the interdict, and sign the writing,
                  that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth
                  not.  Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the interdict.

This is not uncommon even today.  We have people today that believe all prayers prayers must be made through a
local priest today.

The Christian has only one person to pray through and that is Jesus Christ our advocate.
 

I Tim. 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man, Christ Jesus.
 

Our God has supplied us with the perfect high priest to go boldly to the throne of prayer by.

Heb.  4:15    For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our
                       infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are without sin.
 

The only reason Daniel is under the impeachment proceedings from his enemies is jealousy.  Many people have been harmed and ruined by jealous people.  The enemies of Daniel wanted him killed because of their envy of him.

Envy has caused co-workers to turn against each other.  Envy has broken up families.

Acts 7:9  And the patriarchs moved with envy and sold Joseph into Egypt, but God was with him.

Envy is like a boomerang it comes back at hits you after you throw it at someone.

Prov. 14:30  Envy is rottenness of the bones.

Unfortunately the church is not immune to envy.  Elders are jealous of other elders, Preachers envy other preachers and the body of Christ has the seed of envy seeking to take root and grow.

I Cor.  3:3  For ye are carnal for wheras there is among you envy and strife and divisions.

Envy and jealousy will destroy a person spiritually.

Many politicians today are investigated too death because of envy.
 

                                       THE PLOT AGAINST PRAYER

The enemies of Daniel knew he prayed at least three times a day.  The custom of Daniel was to look toward Jerusalem and pray to his God.

Dan.  6:10  And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house
                    (now his windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem) and he
                    kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks
                   before his God, as he did aforetime.
 

Daniel realized that a day without prayer was a day wasted.  With all the duties and responsibilities of Daniel he still prayed regularly.  Sometimes we think we are too busy to pray!

We need to pray in the morning, pray in the noon-time, pray in the evening, and pray all the time.
 

The Lord wants us to pray.

I Thess.  5:17  Pray without ceasing.
 

Phil.  4:6  Be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be
                 made known to God.
 

The enemies spy on Daniel, and then report that Daniel had broken the decree of the King,

Dan.  6:11-12  Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition
                         and supplication before his God. 6:12Then they came near, and spake
                         before the king concerning the king's interdict: Hast thou not signed an
                         interdict, that every man that shall make petition unto any god or man within
                        thirty days, save unto thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king
                        answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and
                        Persians, which altereth not.
 

The king loved Daniel but was bound by the law of the Medes and Persian which was to be unaltered.  The King was bound by his own law.

Dan.  6:12  Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's interdict:
                    Hast thou not signed an interdict, that every man that shall make petition unto any
                    god or man within thirty days, save unto thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of
                    lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the
                    Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

The King was very disturbed and sad that he had made a law that would destroy his servant Daniel.

Dan.  6:14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased, and set his heart
                   on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to rescue him.
 
The law was clear so Daniel would be put into a den of lions.

Dan.  6:16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions.
                  Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he
                  will deliver thee.

The person who prayed outside of the King was to be cast into a den of lions, Daniel spent a night in a den of lions. A rock covered the exit.

Dan.  6:17  And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the
                   king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that
                   nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
 

The King sweated his actions and could not sleep.  Sometimes we do things to please others or because we are selfish and have to live with the consequences of our actions.

The king did not sleep a wink all night.  Not even the sounds of the musicians could lull him asleep. Daniel 6:18
 
 

                   THE MORNING AFTER
 

Early the next morning the King raced to the mouth of the lions den.  He began to mourn and lament his servant Daniel.  The King cried out to see if Daniel's God had delivered him from certain death by the mouth of the lions.  Daniel like Mark Twain knew his decease had been exaggerated.  Faithful Daniel called out and said he was alive and doing well, Daniel 6:19-20

Daniel gave glory to God that had shut the mouths of the lions.  God had been with Daniel all night long.  There was not any harm or damage done.

Dan.  6:22  My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, and they have
                   not hurt me; forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also
                   before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

Daniel conquered the mouth of the lions by his great trust and faith in God.

Heb. 11:33  Some have stopped the mouth of lions by faith.
 

We need a faith like Daniel to stop mouths.  Every time we have a mouth of gossip through faith in Jesus stop the hellish gossip and slander.  We need to stop the mouth of racism and bigotry.  We need to stop the mouth of blasphemy.  May God give us a faith to stop the mouth of sin.

Through the Lord we will emerge victorious the day after our trials.

I John. 5:4  " And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith".

 
                                 PAYBACK OF THE WICKED
 

When the King heard about the plot to destroy Daniel he was astonished, but he was not the only one astonished.
The accusers of Daniel were astonished by his victory over the mouths of the Lion.   King Darius commanded
the accusers to be placed in the den of lions.

 Dan. 6:24  And the king commanded, and they brought those men that had accused
                   Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and
                   their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones
                   in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den.
 
The god of self and idolatry has no power.  The lions shredded and dined on the enemies of Daniel.

There is a principle of sowing and reaping involved.

Gal. 6:7  Be not deceived, God is not mocked.  Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.

They sowed the death of Daniel by lions, and they received death and destruction from the very lions,
Daniel had defeated by faith.

Dan.  6:24  And the king commanded, and they brought those men that had accused
                   Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and
                   their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones
                   in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den.
 
The wicked faced the decree that they must fear and tremble before the God of Daniel.

Dan. 6:25-26  Then king Darius wrote unto all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell
                        in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you.   I make a decree, that in all the
                        dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he
                        is the living God, and stedfast for ever, And his kingdom that which shall not be
                       destroyed; and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
 
The wicked failed miserable but faithful Daniel prospered.

Dan.  6:28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

The people of God will always overcome the wicked.  The faithful shall not fail.

Rom. 8:37  Nay in all things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
 

CONCLUSION
 Do you have the faith of Daniel.  Are you living daily for the Lord.  Daniel survived and thrived by his
devotion and faith.  Are you a child of God today?  The plan of God is revealed:

                                              Believe Jesus as God's son, John 8:24
                                              Turn from sin in repentance, Luke 13:3,5
                                              Confess Christ Jesus by mouth, Romans 10:10
                                              Be baptized for the remission of sins, Acts 2:38
                                              Live faithful unto death, Revelation 2:10